The Right Choices
by Autumn's-Smile
Summary: Hermione Granger was faced with two options. But she always made the right choices. DHr HHr


The Right Choices

Autumn's Smile

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of its affiliates. I only manage to warp the characters into my own situations, so don't sue me! Some things have been changed to fit the plot line.

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Hermione Granger always knew that in the end, she would have to make a choice. It began when she was just a First Year, attempting to pass the crowds quietly, get her top marks and become a brilliant witch. She made quick acquaintances with people like Neville Longbottom and even the famous Harry Potter and his friend Ron Weasley.

Everything exploded in her face quickly when she met _her_ bully. Draco Malfoy. He was supposed to be the stereotypical bully, but Hermione hadn't expected her trials to come from such a pretty face. He was classically beautiful- for a guy- with very, very pale blonde hair that he would slick back (she hated his hair at first and secretly began to admire it more when he wore it loose in their fifth year) and the most piercing grey eyes she had ever seen. She had found him rather cute- until he opened his foul mouth and began to tease her.

Fortunately for her, she found her saviour in the very legend she hadn't expected to meet. Harry James Potter. He was everything she could ever want in a guy. He was smart- when he applied himself-, loveable- when he wasn't angry-, cute- when he didn't try to be- and would always be there for her. Saving her from the troll on her very first Hallowe'en had definitely earned him brownie points. It was almost as if they had bonded over stunning the big, gross creature. Of course, she became as close with his best friend, the flame-haired, big hearted goof Ron Weasley.

After the first year, it was like everything had fallen into place. They had dashing escapades, saving the world at every corner. She went through her awkward periods and pulled the ugly-duckling-to-swan routine. It wasn't until her seventh year that she was finally seen as a girl. Viktor Krum, a really nice guy from Bulgaria and _the seeker for a really famous quidditch team _asked her to be her date. She was flattered really, and they remained in contact even after he had returned to his homeland.

The fun came to an end at the end of her fourth year when Lord Voldemort- the evil villain that had plagued the wizarding world and had supposedly died at baby Harry Potter's hand- returned from the dead. And then at the end of her fifth year when Harry's godfather, Sirius Black, died. Soon, Harry, Ron and herself found themselves on the run- from each other, from themselves, from everything.

In sixth year, Ron distracted himself with Lavender, much to Hermione's jealousy. You see, Hermione had fallen for the hot-tempered Weasley. She began to distance herself from Won-Won (Lavender's pet name for Ron, disgustingly enough) and Lav-Lav (his pet name in return) and even from Harry to a degree.

And then she found him.

He was _her_ bully. Her bully, with his stunning, liquid-y cool silvery-grey eyes clouded with pain. It was one of the days where she decided to be alone, so she climbed to the top of the astronomy tower to clear her head. Won-Won and Lav-Lav were too busy sucking face and Harry and Ginny (she had seen it coming ever since she had met the youngest Weasley) were also having their ahem tete-a-tete (more like bouche-a-bouche, Hermione thought). She had climbed to the astronomy tower- it was a rather pretty night- and to her surprise, she saw a blond head gleaming in against the night sky. He hadn't turned to look at her, so she cleared her throat.

When their eyes met, she gasped. He was absolutely miserable. His face was haggard and paler than usually (and he was usually as pale as marble)- he was the colour of wax and it was his eyes that called out to her. She moved hesitantly to sit next to him, quietly there to comfort him.

On the very first night, he had left almost immediately- his stormy eyes were cold and he deliberately stepped on her finger as he stood and walked away. She didn't mind- now she had the tower to herself. But when he had returned again- and stayed a bit longer, it was as if there was something unspoken between them- a comfort. It grew to the point where he would come and sit next to her. He never spoke with her and when they saw each other in the halls, he was as nasty as ever. But when it was the two of them on that tower, she almost felt like he cared.

She began to date Ron, who had told her that he had been with Lavender just to make her jealous. Her heart overjoyed, she immediately said yes when he asked her to be his girlfriend. She was happier than before, but she still went up to that tower to see Draco, still took comfort in his presence.

At the end of their sixth year, he had practically killed their beloved headmaster, Dumbledore. Hell, he was the biggest accomplice. He had let the Death Eaters breach their ancient castle home.

Hermione hated him.

She was left with a very impossible task- that task was to heal Harry's brokenness. He had broken up with Ginny, locked himself away to 'plot revenge' on Severus Snape, the man who had killed Dumbledore. They became closer than ever - they were always close to begin with-; they had an unspoken bond, something that was almost sacred. She was pretty sure that Ginny hated her for that entire summer, jealous over their closeness. Hermione was just glad because their closeness meant that Harry wouldn't go gallavanting off to the countrysides, hunting out Severus Snape.

Eventually, they did go out to the countrysides, though not to get Snape but to find the Horcruxes. The horcruxes were bits of Voldemort's soul- they kept him immortal and as long as they remained scattered throughout Great Britain, he remained alive. Knowing this, they had began their long journey.

And then they were caught. And taken to the one place Hermione did not really feel like ever going. Malfoy Mansion. At Malfoy Mansion, she'd been forced to see the one person she would have (at the time) rather died happily than see. And, just when she expected the cowering, snivelling fool give them away...

She'd looked into his familiar eyes and seen the depths of his despair, of his emotion. And then he'd done something she'd never expected. He didn't give them away. He cast down his eyes and pretended like he'd never seen them before.

Of course, his retarded aunt Bellatrix had decided to go to the extremes and, dragging Hermione away, had planned to torture her. She cast the Cruciatus multiple times and Hermione lost all senses as she screamed and contorted inhumanly. She vaguely remembered seeing the cruel, glinting black eyes of that bitch before she lost all consciousness.

It was, of course, Draco who picked up the pieces she shattered into. He healed her, held her almost tenderly. She was still battered a little and from what information she gleaned from him, her friends were still in Malfoy Manor Dungeon, awaiting death or escape.

And then he had grabbed her in a wild passion. His lips crashed furiously down on hers and it was as if all the tension they had shared, all of those moments where they had derived comfort in each other had reached a boiling head and erupted between them. Nothing had ever felt the same since. And then it was all over with a resounding crash from behind the door that lead to the real world. They separated hastily and Hermione flung the door open and leaned over, watching her friends make a valiant stand.

"Come on Hermione!"

Harry shouted to her and that was all it took. She loss all sense of direction, of emotion, of feeling as she heeded Harry's call. She rushed down the main staircase- looking back she was sure that she took them five at a time- and rushed into Harry's arms and they disapparated with a loud crack.

'Always for Potter,' Draco thought sardonically before assuming his mask and running to aid his family members. He slipped back on his muggle-hating facade.

Nearly a month later, the Golden Trio won the war. Harry triumphed. Good triumped over evil. Ecstatic, he had rushed up to Hermione and hugged her. It was almost an instantaneous reaction. And then he kissed her. Soft and sweetly but with the hard strength of triumph. She couldn't help but contrast it to her kiss with Dra-Malfoy and quickly pushed the thought away.

It wasn't a day later when Harry proposed to her. Their closeness, her faith in him- everything about it was wonderful. It was her beautiful brown eyes he wanted to see every day and it was her brilliant smile he wanted to see on the face of his future children. And Hermione, she made her choice. She could be with Draco, who was like the winter to her summer- or she could have Harry, who was her sunshine to the perfect autumn day. She loved them both, very very much but she knew that she had to make a decision.

So here she was now, adjusting her beautiful veil- her groom had decided to give her only the best- and admiring her shining white silk dress. She would be walking down the isle, walking up to her future husband and smilingly vow to love him forever and ever.

Of course she would marry Harry Potter. He was the saviour of the world, her best friend. He knew her like no one else did. He was cute, funny, and everything she ever wanted in a boy. They were meant to be, honestly.

If she could admit it to herself- and she never would- she chose Harry because she felt as much obligation as she did love. He was the hero- he deserved to be happy.

And Draco? He was nothing. He was the most beautiful boy she'd ever met- he was the storm and the rainbow after. They could never work out. They would argue, bitterly divorce and be unhappy forever and ever.

She had obligations. She had a love to vow. Bunching up her beautiful wedding dress, she pushed open the door and gracefully took her father's arm as he walked her down the isle. She looked up and beamed radiantly at her future husband.

She was Hermione Granger and she_ always _made the right choices.

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END 


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